Bryce Henry fights Saturday against Roderick Stewart at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.
Henry, who is unbeaten in bare-knuckle with a record of 5-0 (5 KOs), might be a familiar name to boxing fans because two years ago he upset prospect Jamar Pemberton. Henry, the 24-year-old from Oakland Park, Florida, admits he doesn’t watch bare-knuckle fights outside of watching his brother, Bobby Henry, who is also undefeated.
“I came into bare-knuckle and showed them something different. They call me the Floyd [Mayweather] of bare-knuckle,” Henry told BoxingScene. “I think I changed the game. I showed how to hit and not get hit.”
Henry holds a boxing record of 7-1 (5 KOs), and last competed in October 2024 against middleweight contender Yoenli Hernandez, who stopped Henry in the eighth round. He had dabbled in bare-knuckle before taking fights in 2023 and 2024, but will be fighting exclusively as a bare-knuckle fighter in 2025, with this fight on Saturday his second of the year. Henry found himself in bare-knuckle after some of the fighters he trained around made the switch, and his coach had a belief that he too would have success in that realm. He hopes a win will put him in a position to challenge current belt holder Julian Lane in December. He also hopes to jump between bare-knuckle and professional boxing once his profile grows.
“Boxing made me, but bare-knuckle got me out there way more,” Henry said. “I want to be one of the first people to have a belt in boxing and bare-knuckle.”
When he upset Pemberton, he took the fight on a week’s notice. He detailed how the preparation went.
“I had gone to camp with Edgar Berlanga for a couple of days,” Henry said. “I didn’t go home. I went to the Caribe Royale.”
Henry would win the fight, and then two weeks later defeat Billy Wagner in a bare-knuckle fight in Montana. Henry’s story, not unlike most who find themselves in the world of bare-knuckle, is all about showing a willingness to fight. Henry explained that Stewart is naturally heavier, as he has competed at 185lbs. Henry traditionally competes at 165lbs, but the two are fighting at 170lbs. Still, Henry doesn’t lack confidence.
“Actually, it is probably going to be my easiest opponent to date, respectfully,” Henry said. “He is a bigger guy, so he is going to be slower - slower hands, slower on his feet, slower head movement.”
